Soar
by Ink Kissed
Summary: War was the only thing Ashei had been born to do, to fight for Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule. Shad had grown a friendship with the independent warrior and they find themselves battling feelings and honor, along with the darkness of Zant.


_**Soar:**_

War was the only thing Ashei had been born to do, to fight for Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule. Shad had grown a friendship with the independent warrior and they find themselves battling feelings and honor, along with the darkness of Zant.

Her breath came out in gasping pants, slivers of sweat trickling down her skin, and she figured after mentally scolding herself that it had probably been due to her yeti hide that she draped over her face and upper torso. Removing the soft fur that kept her warm atop the Snowpeak Ruins - which she had been given by the Yeti couple that owned a mansion atop the Snowpeak Mountains - she placed it beside her and resumed her position, sword poised over her head. Her silver blade struck the large ivy engrossed pillar she continuously slashed at, carving deep lines of frustration and pain against the beautifully carved stone beneath the Catacombs. Ever since she was the age of seven - with her warrior traits fully revealed due to her father's eager obsession - she traveled beneath the Catacombs where her mother had been put to an everlasting sleep, and it was her outlet, her sanctuary. The last place her father would ever dream of looking for her was here. Her lips curved into a thin line, her concentration not once wavering as her blade clanked against the stone once more, and then clattered to the soft grass.

She sighed, her fingers running along the cuts her blade left, her dark brown eyes filled with a feeling of worry. She worried incessantly over Zelda whom she'd formed a friendship with being in the resistance to save her and everything. She worried over Link who'd go to hell and back to save Hyrule considering the little crush he had on Zelda, and most of all she worried over Shad whom had been her friend for as long as she could remember. He was a scholar and part of the resistance together with her, but he lacked any fighting abilities, so she always worried he'd get hurt. She also wondered - albeit this feeling fleeted and resurfaced persistently - about the feelings she had for Shad, that didn't involve just being friends.

Years, she'd known for years that being close friends with him would result in her developing repugnant feelings of love, that she couldn't control, over him. She knew that with her warrior ways she could never admit to feeling this way about him, for her blunt personality and rough way of speaking interfered. The thing that worried her most was the fact that Shad probably didn't even like her the way she believed he did - more than a friend. She found herself puzzled whenever he smiled at her with this spark of glee as she approached him and offered her a cup of Telma's famous whiskey, was that a motion of friendship, or a motion of confessing his love? She blamed her puzzlement on Telma, that woman filled her with confusing thoughts on love, always proclaiming that Ralis would one day confess to her, since they spent so much time together.

Dismissing her boorish thoughts of love, her eyes lifted towards the root of her problems, for he now had to be leaning towards her at that very moment she had been deep in thought over him. A soft smile lifted the corners of his lips, as he tilted his head curiously to the side and parted his lips to speak.

"Hello Ashei, visiting your mother again? Or are you furthering the ways of the sword?" His tone was light and he plopped down on the soft grass she had slid down to sit upon. Her sleek black leather boots dangled below the edge where she sat, a shallow lake beneath her feet filled with lily pads and blue-green reeds. Boulders rested at the bottom of the small lake that surrounded the bottom of the Catacombs. Her eyes filled with a shimmer of awe as she gazed ahead of her, forgetting that Shad was sitting beside her and had even spoken, smiling at the look in her eyes. Exotic purple flowers lifted towards the ceiling, large in size and the buds closed due to the cold chill of the winter season. Small white flowers kissed the surface of the lake, their stems intertwining in the depths of the water beneath it. She shook from her stupor, and turned her attention back on Shad.

"What do you think I'm doing Shad, kissing a wandering spirit, yeah?" Shad chuckled nervously, the soft sound making her inwardly blush with an annoying feeling only he could bring out, shyness. That stupid emotion conflicted with her out-front so she just tilted her head to the side, her raven-black bangs running into her eyes as she stared blankly. He smiled for another time that day - or was it night? She always lost track of time when training - and his gaze shifted towards the lake, bowing his head and reciting a soft prayer towards the dead souls they were resting on top of. Her fingers rested on her sword, scraps running along the old blade she had been given by her father years back. Her fingertips danced against the blade, and she almost sighed with the flashes of nostalgia that flickered against her eyes, blurring her vision. She wondered if there could ever be a day when she wouldn't have to fight, a day where she could get married - she shook that thought away instantly. Her father wouldn't accept marriage, which to him was only considered a nuisance.

"Of course not, I see you're doing both, have you talked to Link as of late? Or is he busy preparing for battle?" A wistful sigh escaped past her lips coming out as sad and morbid. Shad raised an eyebrow curiously, but brushed off the melancholy sigh.

"No, that kid is busy for war against Zant and these Twilight creatures." She shuddered against the fear these incorrigible monsters brought, she always thought of herself as intrepid but these creatures made her think differently.

"I'll be ready soon to back him up if needed, I just hope he visits to let me know." The fear rose in her eyes, as she turned to place incredulous dark eyes upon her dear friend - and secret love interest. He looked at her, determination rising up to sprawl against his facial features.

"Are you crazy, yeah? You cannot go running off to fight against these monsters!" Her tone rose, anger filling her tone along with the worry she had always wanted to keep secret from Shad, she never revealed how she really felt to him. He flashed her a stunned smile.

"Ashei...you shouldn't worry, I'll be fine."

"That's what's wrong with your chivalry inclined personality, your filled with to much valor and that's what will get you killed. You don't know how to _fight_." Ashei spat at his feet, sliding her sword in the sheath and storming away from the boy that infuriated her to no end. She needed to release her anger with traditional leaf ice sledding, maybe Yeta and Yeto would join her. She pulled her yeti cloak over her head to shield her from the blistering cold that the snow covered Zora's Dormain brought, due to the approaching winter, and made her way towards the entrance of the Snowpeak Ruins. Her black hair whipped against her crimson dusted cheekbones, her fingertips pressing against the sheath that carried her sword protectively.

Many male Zorkians raised their hands in greeting from the posts they were stationed at, and she nodded her head in her own way of greeting. She had found it somewhat hard to grow relationships with the women of the Zora tribe. First off they gave this air of demure, and glared at her in a hostile manner due to their womanly instincts of knowing she had some type of friendship with their Prince...their unmarried Prince. She had no romantic feelings for Prince Ralis at all, he was a good friend that gave her access to the Snowpeak Ruins to continue her skills of becoming a great cartographer. Sighing softly under her breath, and muttering how men were stupid and needed to grow mature she slid past the gate and into the Snowpeak Ruins that the Zorkians still held fear over.

Her boots crunched the growing expansion of the snowlands as she trudged her way up to the tip of the hill, rolling into the large tree, and managing to successfully knock off a leaf. She positioned her leather boots on the slippery piece of ice. All thoughts of safety fled from her mind as she let out a loud laugh and began to maneuver down the hill, oblivious to the shadow birds lingering about - ready to strike from above. Nothing was about to ruin her fun, or so she thought. As her laugh escaped once again, loud as ever the bird swiped to attack her from behind and a strangled scream pierced the whirling sound of falling snow. Blood seeped through her shoulders, her cloak being torn through relentlessly. She stumbled off the piece of ice and lost consciousness against the snow - now stained a dark satin.

* * *

"Ashei?" Voices flickered through her ears and she wanted to croak out a response but she was so tired. She swore she felt, even saw, Shad leaning down to kiss her forehead before pressing a wet wetcloth against her stinging skull. She felt surly at being so weak and letting her guard down, all thanks to the stupid Shad who didn't understand at all. It was his entire fault she had stormed off and gotten harmed. What kind of idiot would put himself in harms way for a war that didn't even _involve _his stupid ass? He couldn't fight at all! She felt herself slip back into sleep, wanting so badly to wake up and sock him in the face - make him see reasoning even if she felt as though she'd quaver, her muscles were on fire.

Her eyelashes flickered upon to see the dim lighting of a cave, which she knew was the room she had been placed inside due to her incapability to breathe underwater. She groaned out in pain as she motioned to move, to release the tension her stiff muscles were giving her, but she couldn't. It was as if she had permanently damaged them. A rustling sound captured her attention, and her eyes snapped to find the source. Her eyes clamped shut, and she feigned sleep at the sight of Shad approaching her bedside, a tray in his hands, his eyes filled with sorrow at her state.

He placed the tray down on the end of her bed, and his fingertips traced her jawbone, caressing her cheek gently, and she suppressed the urge to shiver at his light touch. His voice came out strained, and she felt something wet collide with her cheekbones before it was hastily wiped away. He chuckled and continued to run the pad of his thumb over her cheeks, and they passed her lips and she almost opened her eyes to kiss him. _Almost. _She stopped herself, for he had began to speak, the words scaring her.

"Ashei...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I'm hurting you, but you don't know how much you mean to me. I need to help Link for I owe him my gratitude. That means I have to leave you behind, and you know not of how I feel about you. I know if I were to awake you, you'd fight and struggle...but you need to stay here and not return to Hyrule, you mustn't interfere with this battle." His lips pressed against her cheek, making the pit of her stomach storm with a tempest of anger. Before she could open her eyes, he had left her behind to prepare himself for the return to Hyrule where he would aid Link and the soldiers of Hyrule who were idiots.

She lay in the soft animal fur covered bed, her eyes clamped shut as her shoulder now stung with pain from her movement to follow after him. She was now more confused than ever, did Shad really care for her as more than a friend like he had hinted? Or was that just petty words to keep her in bed, even though he most likely thought she was asleep? She knew that when she healed - hopefully in the morning or night depending on the time - a new battle was going to begin. Her choice would affect Shad and her heart. She was going to go to Hyrule and help Link...but she was also going to figure out what she felt for Shad and tell him.

Oh...life was hard when you were a woman.

* * *

_So. Um. Yeah._

_Ashei and Shad:D_

_I thought I would attempt this couple, for as I played Twilight Princess I fell in love with Ashei - even though she had like six lines :P I know it's different, but I hope you'll enjoy._

_I don't own Twilight Princess/Legend of Zelda._


End file.
